Cosmetic dentistry
Conservative cosmetic work, from a dentist who will tell you when you don't need it.
Las Vegas has no shortage of practices selling full sets of veneers. This is not one of them. Most people who come in unhappy with how their teeth look need considerably less work than they expect, and Dr. Bowman will say so before you spend anything.
What the office offers
Porcelain veneers
Thin porcelain facings bonded to the front teeth to change shape, colour or alignment. Permanent, and the right answer less often than the advertising suggests.
Composite bonding
Tooth-coloured composite shaped directly onto the tooth to close a gap, repair a chip or reshape an edge. Done in one visit, usually without removing enamel, and reversible.
Professional whitening
In-office treatment for a single visible change, or custom take-home trays to go at your own pace. Both are considerably more effective than anything bought over the counter.
Tooth-coloured fillings
Replacing old silver amalgam with composite matched to the tooth, which is often the entire fix when somebody dislikes how their back teeth look when they laugh.
Crowns on front teeth
Where a front tooth is damaged rather than just discoloured, a shade-matched crown restores it. Often possible in one visit.
Gum reshaping
Minor contouring where a gum line makes teeth look short or uneven.
How a cosmetic consultation actually goes
You come in and say what bothers you. Dr. Bowman looks at the teeth, tells you what is causing it, and lays out the options from the least invasive upward — usually whitening first, then bonding, then veneers, rather than the other way round.
You leave with the cost of each option in writing. Nothing is booked at that appointment.
If the honest answer is that a cleaning and whitening will get you ninety per cent of the way there for a fraction of the money, that is what you will be told. Patients have been writing about this for years in their reviews; one described being referred elsewhere rather than sold something in-house.
Common questions
Cosmetic dentistry
How much do veneers cost?
It depends on how many teeth are involved and whether anything underneath needs treating first. You get a full written quote before anything begins, including the part your insurance will not cover. How billing works here.
Do veneers ruin your natural teeth?
Traditional porcelain veneers need a thin layer of enamel removed, and that is permanent — the teeth will always need veneers afterwards. Bonding usually does not. Dr. Bowman will tell you which applies to your teeth and what you are trading away.
How long does whitening last?
Usually one to two years, depending on coffee, tea, red wine and smoking. Take-home trays let you top up for very little rather than repeating the whole treatment.
Will insurance cover it?
Usually not. Most plans class cosmetic work as elective. Where a treatment is also restorative — a crown on a damaged front tooth, for instance — part of it may be covered, and the office checks that before you commit.